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Colorado Divorce FAQ's

The following 'Frequently Asked Questions' is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in lieu of legal advice. Laws and their interpretations are constantly changing. If you have concerns or questions about the following, please contact an attorney. Judy Larkins makes no guarantees about the application of the following information to your specific situation.

How Long Before My Divorce is Final? Mediation saves time.

The mandatory waiting period after filing the divorce petition is 90 days in Colorado. If all documents are complete, your Decree may be entered on or after the 91st day, or at the conclusion of your Contested Hearing. It is not unusual for a contested divorce to take up to two years to complete in many Colorado District Courts. You and the other party may be required to participate in mediation prior to a Contested Hearing, whether or not you are represented by an attorney. This is an opportunity to resolve any issues. You will need to provide proof of the mediation to the Court. Couples who mediate with Colorado Mediators & Arbitrators generally complete all documents and agreements within the 90 day timeframe.

How Much Does Mediation Cost? Mediation saves money.

Couples who mediate with me spend an average of $950 - $2,250 to complete divorce agreements and paperwork. This average represents 2 - 3 four hour mediation sessions. Homework completed in-between sessions saves time in mediation, and consequently lowers the overall cost. Couples generally split the hourly fee, and the number of billable hours necessary to produce agreement are generally a fraction of the time necessary for litigation of a contested divorce.

If Mediation Fails, Then What?

In contested matters, the judge or magistrate makes a decision on contested matters and issues an order that is binding. Often the court relies on the services of Professionals, such as Child Family Investigators (CFI's), Parenting Coordinators (PC's), and Psychologists. You may or may not agree with the court's order or the professional's findings and written reports.

Agreement in Mediation v. Court Order

Agreement is not guaranteed in mediation; however, there is no guarantee that a specific outcome in the court will be more desireable. Some of the most contentious cases are those brought after the divorce is finalized due to lack of agreement with an imposed decision. Gaining agreement through mediation allows couples to retain a greater degree of control over the decisions that affect their personal and family lives. Agreements created in mediation are more creative than what the strict letter of the law provides for, and can be tailored to address specific concerns of the restructured family. Couples who participate in creating their own agreements tend to be happier and abide by the agreements that they have created.

Tax Filing Status Determined on last day of the year.

If on the last day of the year, you are unmarried or legally separated from your spouse under a divorce or separate maintenance decree and you do not qualify for another filing status. ♦More from IRS

Divorce Testamonials

"Thanks so much for your help with everything and facilitating a tough and emotional process." Margaret P. (Divorce Mediation)

"I have used Judy Larkins twice in the last five years and both times proved to be a positive experience. Judy is fair-minded and works diligently to maintain professionalism with both parties. In addition, she processed our issues as quickly as possible so that we would not rack up fees. Overall, mediation can be cheaper than the legal process, which most often is dragged out by lawyers who do more to divide than conquer. Judy Larkins was the necessary third party that helped neutralize the animosity most often experienced during divorce."Maria Thompson (Divorce Mediation)

"Thanks very much for meeting with my [adult son], my wife and me this morning. We appreciated your skill, professionalism and generosity with your time." David P. (Family Mediation)

"Judy: Thanks for everything. P.M. and I have been working on our reconciliation and have been back together since June 15th. It's going very well and were both working hard towards building a loving, long lasting and fulfilling marriage. We both now know the price of admission!" Dr. John M. (Divorce Mediation)

"Hi Judy...thank you so much for all your efforts to help me and my spouse work through the very difficult process of negotiating, despite her unfortunate choice to "stonewall" me, and manipulate you. You thoroughly impressed me with your perceptiveness of what was going on, and your directness in addressing it, all while maintaining your professionalism and poise. Thank you for being honest and fair, and for your loyalty to the truth...rare qualities it seems in this day and age." Steven Johnson (Divorce Mediation)

"Judy mediated my divorce and I must say she did a wonderful job... I highly recommend Judy for anyone. She listens well, has great knowledge and is very efficient. Thanks Judy" Trent R. (Divorce Mediation)

"Would like to write a quick post here and say personally "thank you" Judy for handling my case. You were very professional, fast and over all just perfect. I would HIGHLY recommend you, if ever you need a good resource/feedback I am here and able to provide that. Thank you again"Kelly B. (Divorce Mediation)

"I know we really dragged our feet with you but we were not fully committed to the idea of a permanent separation, which frankly scared the hell out of us, and you were very sensitive to that. But,we needed to take the next step. Thank you for your patience and well wishes. It was when we began working with you did we realize everything that was at stake and it was very depressing. It forced us to behave better and value our relationship more. For us, nothing transpired which wasn't forgivable. Who knew walking into your office would be the first step in restoring our marriage?! Thank you!"Liz B. (Divorce Mediation)

"I was very grateful for all your help during some pretty confusing and difficult days." Jodi M. (Divorce Mediation)

"We would like to thank you for your professionalism and the sincere concern you showed during our mediation session. The positive atmosphere you created helped J. and I communicate in a positive manner for the first time in a very long time. We have decided to attend counseling and reconcile. Thanks again." Kevin C. & Jessica C. (Divorce Mediation)

"I wanted to thank you for all of your assistance. My ex-husband and I both were very overwhelmed by the paperwork one must do to file for a divorce and we were scared that we would misinterpret some of the language. Having you there to assist us made it so much easier so we were able to focus on making the important decisions. We both appreciated the fact that you stayed late and I know my ex-husband appreciated the way you were so impartial, as did I! It was evident that you weren’t there to take sides but to make sure that both of our interests were protected! You also brought things to our attention that we may not have thought about and could potentially pose a problem if not addressed now. It is so reassuring to know that we won’t have to worry about that stuff in the future. Its funny but I think now that my ex and I are both done with this process and have come to our agreements, we are getting along better. There is a sense of relief in our lives now. I will recommend you to anyone who is going through a divorce!" Respectfully" Christine H." (Divorce Mediation)

"I was very happy with the job you did and would also recommend you to others as well... The experience was as painless as possible and your understanding with some of the issues we had was helpful!"James H. (Divorce Mediation)

"Judy Larkins handled our divorce with care and excellence. We saved a lot of money and were handled expertly despite the emotional volatility and complexity of our case. I appreciated the care and understanding Judy brought to the table. She helped us arrive at a settlement and move past issues that were in the way. I thought it would be impossible, but she did it, and I'm extremely satisfied. Thanks for a job well done!" Don R. (Divorce Mediation)

"My wife and I worked with Judy to help with our settlement. She helped bring us to common ground when we were not exactly on the same page, and she was successful at keeping our discussions on track. She was extremely courteous and professional, and it was obvious to us that she wanted a fair agreement that would work for both of us. We would highly recommend using Judy Larkins if you are needing mediation." Greg Lawrence (Divorce Mediation)